CSK vs PBKS Match 7: Free Live Streaming, Pitch Report, Weather Report, Playing XI, Head-to-Head & Match Preview - IPL 2026

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will host the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Match 7 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. Fans are eagerly waiting for the upcoming match between Chennai and Punjab, which will take place at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday, April 3.

Punjab Kings defeated the Gujarat Titans (GT) in their opening match in New Chandigarh on March 31. Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings suffered a heavy defeat against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on March 30. The Super Kings will be eager to secure a win at home to bounce back in the tournament.

IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS Match Preview

Chennai Super Kings started the IPL 2026 season on a poor note. Rajasthan Royals defeated them by eight wickets in Guwahati. CSK batted first and managed to score only 127 runs, which the Royals chased down comfortably in just 12 overs.

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Meanwhile, Punjab Kings began their campaign with a win. They secured a three-wicket victory against Gujarat Titans, chasing 163 with five deliveries remaining. Cooper Connolly played a brilliant match-winning innings to guide PBKS to victory.

CSK must fix their batting issues before the next match. Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad might include Urvil Patel to strengthen the lineup. Dewald Brevis remains injured with a side strain, forcing the Super Kings to rely heavily on Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube.

IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS Playing XIs

Chennai Super Kings will likely make crucial changes after their previous defeat. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson are expected to open the batting. Urvil Patel might replace Matthew Short or Sarfaraz Khan.

Matt Henry and Khaleel Ahmed will lead CSK’s pace attack against Punjab Kings. The team may also use Sarfaraz Khan to provide extra batting depth during the match.

Chennai Super Kings Squad: Sanju Samson(w), Ayush Mhatre, Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Urvil Patel, Matthew Short, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Matt Henry, Anshul Kamboj, Akeal Hosein, Sarfaraz Khan, MS Dhoni, Dewald Brevis, Shreyas Gopal, Rahul Chahar, Spencer Johnson, Mukesh Choudhary, Aman Khan, Gurjapneet Singh, Zakary Foulkes, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Kartik Sharma, Prashant Veer

Chennai Super Kings Playing XI: Sanju Samson (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Ayush Mhatre, Matthew Short, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Matt Henry, Rahul Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed.

12th Player: Sarfaraz Khan

Punjab Kings are likely to field an unchanged lineup following their recent victory. Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya are expected to open, with Cooper Connolly at No. 3.

Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, and Marcus Stoinis add power to the middle order. Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal will lead the bowling, while Harpreet Brar could play a key role with spin in Chennai.

Punjab Kings Squad: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Suryansh Shedge, Ben Dwarshuis, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Marco Jansen, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Lockie Ferguson, Vishnu Vinod, Praveen Dubey, Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur, Nehal Wadhera, Harpreet Brar, Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Owen, Harnoor Singh, Musheer Khan, Pyla Avinash, Vishal Nishad

Punjab Kings Playing XI: Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.

12th Player: Harpreet Brar

IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS Impact Players

The Impact Player rule plays a key role in shaping tactics during IPL matches. Chennai Super Kings are likely to use Sarfaraz Khan as their Impact Player, as he can strengthen the batting if early wickets fall against Punjab Kings’ pace attack.

Punjab Kings have several strong Impact Player options available. Captain Shreyas Iyer can choose between Vijaykumar Vyshak, Harpreet Brar, Praveen Dubey, Vishnu Vinod, and Suryansh Shedge. Harpreet Brar could be the best option, as spin is likely to be effective at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium.

IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS Pitch Report

The M. A. Chidambaram Stadium pitch traditionally offers a balance between bat and ball. Spinners are likely to receive significant assistance at this venue. Six matches were played here during the IPL 2025 season, with the average first-innings score being 164 runs.

Batters find it relatively easy to score boundaries during the powerplay overs. However, scoring becomes more difficult once spinners come into play in the middle overs. Fast bowlers using clever off-cutters and slower deliveries can also be effective during the death overs.

If Chennai Super Kings bat first, Ruturaj Gaikwad will aim for a total between 180-200 runs. Punjab Kings, with their strong batting lineup, will likely target a first-innings score above 200 runs.

IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS Weather Report

The weather forecast for Chennai predicts warm and humid conditions. The temperature will hover around 28 degrees Celsius during the evening hours. The skies will remain mostly clear to partly cloudy, ensuring a full match without any rain delays.

A gentle breeze will blow across the stadium. However, heavy dew might affect the second innings. Because dew makes gripping the cricket ball difficult, spinners like Yuzvendra Chahal and Noor Ahmad might struggle during the later overs.

IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS Head-to-Head Record & Last 5 Matches

CSK and PBKS share an even overall record in the IPL, with both teams winning 16 matches each out of 32 encounters. PBKS have dominated the last five meetings, winning four matches while CSK managed just one victory.

In IPL 2025, Punjab Kings defeated Chennai Super Kings twice. CSK’s most recent win against PBKS came on May 5, 2024, when they secured a 28-run victory.

Last 5 Matches

Punjab Kings won by 18 runs in 2025

Punjab Kings won by 4 wickets in 2025

Punjab Kings won by 7 wickets in 2024

Chennai Super Kings won by 28 runs in 2024

Punjab Kings won by 4 wickets in 2023

IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS Players To Watch

Sanju Samson is the most important batter for Chennai Super Kings. Samson, who scored 321 runs during the recent T20 World Cup, struggled in the first match and scored just 6 runs. CSK will need him to deliver against Punjab Kings.

Cooper Connolly played a magnificent innings on his IPL debut. He scored an unbeaten 72 off 44 balls against Gujarat Titans. The left-handed batter will try to dominate CSK’s spin bowlers during the middle overs.

Yuzvendra Chahal bowls brilliantly on slow, spinning tracks. He recently picked up crucial wickets against Gujarat Titans. The pitch at this venue suits his style, and he could trouble CSK’s middle order in this clash.

IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS Key Battles To Watch

The battle between Shivam Dube and Yuzvendra Chahal promises plenty of excitement. Dube enjoys attacking spin and hitting big sixes, but Chahal relies on clever flight and sharp turn to outfox aggressive batters. He will aim to dismiss Dube early.

Another key contest features Sanju Samson against Arshdeep Singh in the powerplay. Arshdeep can swing the new ball both ways, and Samson, who was dismissed by a left-arm pacer in the first game, must handle the early challenge carefully.

The contest between Noor Ahmad and Shreyas Iyer could play a key role in the middle overs. Noor, with his variations and ability to turn the ball on slow pitches, will look to take wickets. Iyer will aim to counterattack and keep the scoreboard moving.

The battle between Khaleel Ahmed and Prabhsimran Singh could be crucial in the powerplay. Khaleel, with his ability to swing the new ball and bowl tight lines, will look to trouble the PBKS opener early. Prabhsimran, known for his aggressive intent, will aim to take on the pacer and provide a quick start.

IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS Live Streaming & Telecast Details

Cricket fans can easily watch the clash between Punjab Kings and Chennai Super Kings through live broadcast. The Star Sports Network holds the exclusive television rights.

Viewers can watch the IPL 2026 match live across various regional Star Sports channels. For digital users, the JioHotstar app provides live streaming of the entire IPL 2026 season with an active subscription.

Fans will need a stable internet connection to watch Chennai Super Kings take on Punjab Kings on their mobile phones, tablets, or smart TV devices.

IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS Match Prediction

Punjab Kings will enter the match as clear favourites. Shreyas Iyer will lead a squad with strong batting depth and quality spin options. PBKS also hold a psychological edge after defeating Chennai Super Kings four times in their last five IPL meetings.

In contrast, Chennai Super Kings look vulnerable at the moment. Their heavy defeat against Rajasthan Royals exposed batting concerns. Ruturaj Gaikwad will now face a tough challenge, as CSK will need a near-perfect performance.

The toss could play a key role in deciding the outcome. In all four IPL 2026 matches so far, the captain winning the toss has chosen to bowl first. With chasing easier in night games, both captains are likely to opt to bowl in Chennai.

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